Test-valve



G. ERNST.

TEST VALVE.

APPLICATION FILE-D MAY 31. 1919.

Patented June 8, 1920..

STATES GEORGE ERNST, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

TEST-VALVE eas es.

Application filed May 31, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Gnonon ERNST, a citi- Zen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State ofNew Jersey have invented anew and Improved Test-V alve, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to steam boiler appliances and has particularreference to test valves for such apparatus.

In the practice of steam boilers, especially those for high pressure, itis customary to provide a plurality of test valves located at differentelevations for the purpose of proving the accuracy of the water levelshown visibly by the gage glass. As ordinarily made and commonly usedthe test valves soon become out of order and leak, and in consequence ofthis fact the boiler attendants rather than take a chance with theleakage of steam or hot water have a tendency to rely entirely upon thevisible gage glass instead of proving the water level by using the testvalves.

Among the objects of this invention therefore is to provide a test valvefor use on or in connection with high pressure steam boil-' ers thatwill be absolutely dependable and which will not get out of order for along period of time.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists inthe arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact detailsof construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose ofillustrating a practical. embodiment thereof reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate thesame parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the improved test valve shown applied to a fragment of aboiler. the parts being in normal position, and with a portion of thevalve broken away to indicate the normal position of the movable valve.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section or" the entire structureindicating the movable valve open.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view corresponding to Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the combined valve seat and nut.

Referring now more specifically to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

Serial No. 300,909.

drawings I show a valve structure including a body 10 having a nipple 11tapped into the side of a boiler 12, said nipple being tubular andfitted with a ball 18 adapted to seat automatically against a valve seat14: when permitted so to do by means of a stem 15 at the inner end of apositive cut-otf valve 16 adapted to seat inward against the seat 17when turned by means of a hand wheel 18 at the outer end of the stem 16.The ball 13 is held from dropping out of the nipple by means of a pin 18spanning the mouth of the nipple. During the use of this improved valvethe valve stem 15 is projected inward far enough to hold the ballunseated from the seat 14 as shown in Fig. 2. For the purpose however ofinspection, repair, or interchange of the valve devices constitutingthis invention the valve stem is seated inward against the seat 17 so asto positively close the outlet through the nipple.

The body has connected thereto a tubular extension 19 the axis of whichis shown as being substantially perpendicular to the axis of the nipple11 and Valve 16, though in this as well as in other details of design Ido not wish to be unnecessarily limited.

Said extension comprises an annular collar 20 and below or beyond whichis an externally threaded nipple 21, said nipple being reduced indiameter whereby the collar constitutes a shoulder.

The nipple 21 constitutes a discharge for the steam or water at the timeof testing, but this discharge is controlled by a valve 22 located justbeyond the nipple 21 and held loosely in place with respect thereto bymeans of a nut 23 in the form of a cap screwed upon the nipple 21 andbearing against a washer 24 which in turn bears against the shoulderportion of the collar 20. The end portion of the nut 23 includes a port25 surrounded by an inwardly projecting valve seat 26 against which thevalve 22 is normally seated. This valve 22 is in the form of a disk andmay be made of any suitable composition or other material. It isprovided with a polygonal central stem 27 proj ecting through the port25 and terminating in a frusto conical end 28 having a flat terminalsurface. The outer surface of the cap nut 23 constitutes a seat 29 whichis flat where it surrounds the port 25 and stem 27.

30 indicates a nozzle of any suitable construction or design and adaptedto seat 35 of a ring 36 surrounding the collar and supported upon thewasher'24c. The collar 20 being .round, the ring and parts supportedthereby may be adjusted aroundv the axis of the extension 19 to anydesired position and it may be locked if desired in such adjustedposition by means of a setscrew 37 bearing against the collar. To theouter end of the arm 33 is connected a chain 38 or equivalent flexibleconnection.

The parts naturally and automatically assume the position indicated inFig. 1, with he nozzle 30 swung downward well below the cap nut 23leaving the valve 22 free to seat against the valve seat 26 under theforce of the internal steam or water pressure. lVhen however the levelof the water. is to be tested or proved the operator will draw downwardupon the chain 38 and so cause the nozzle 30 to be swung upward againstor 1' for the nozzle 30.

toward the seat 29, by this time however the pivot 31 will have struckagainst the flat end of the conical portion 28 of the valve stem andcaused the lifting of the valve 22 from its seat. The polygonal portionof the stem 27 will insure free exit for steam or water through the port25 which will be discharged in any desired direction, according to theadjustment of an extension not shown When the chain 38 is released againthe valve will automatically close and seat against the seat 26. It hasbeenlfound in practice that during this testpi ing of the water lever asuction is. produced by thestream discharged through the nozzle whicheliminates any leakage that might theoretically take place where thenozzle bears against the nut. Consequently the character of the jointbetween the nozzle and the nut is quite sufiicient for all practicalpurposes. When the valve 22 is to be inspected or renewed the valve 16is closed yond the collar, a supporting device comprising an arm and aring j ournaled for rotation upon said collar, means to hold the ring onthe collar including a nut engaging said threaded extension and having afiat outer end constituting a seat on the outside, said nut having aninwardly directed valve seat on the inside, a disk shaped valve withinthe nut and adapted to bear outward against said valve seat, and meanssupported on said supporting arm and movable against said outside seatto unseat the valve from the valve seat. 7

2. A device of the character set forth in claim 1 in which the meanssupported by the arm includes a nipple having a smooth upper end adaptedto abut directly against said outside seat, and having a transverse pinserving to unseat the valvewithin the nut. GEORGE ERNST.

